Winter comfort food: Microbrew Bison Chili

This hearty chili is a year-round staple at our house, but it's especially good when the air is frosty. We like it with a hefty stout (beer) in the stew and on the table, but tannic red wine (such as zinfandel or cabernet) works very well for both uses.

Recipe: Microbrew Bison Chili

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

3 T canola oil, divided

1 large onion, diced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped

2 ribs celery, thinly sliced

½ cup diced green pepper (optional)

3 T good-quality chili powder

½ teaspoon chipotle powder, or more to taste

1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 large can diced tomatoes, preferably no-salt-added

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

1 cup water

1 pound ground bison (buffalo)

1 bottle dark beer, such as stout

Salt, to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat 2 T of the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add next five ingredients (onion through green pepper) and sauté, stirring frequently, until veggies start to soften, about 4 minutes.

2. Stir in chili and chipotle powders. Add next 5 ingredients (black beans through water) and stir well. Reduce heat to medium, cover pan.

3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 T oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add bison and cook, crumbling meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks. When the meat has no pink left in it, remove with a slotted spoon and add to the chili.

4. Stir in beer, and add more water if you want a more soupy consistency (leave it as is if you prefer stew-like chili). Cover pot, reduce heat to low, and let the chili simmer for at least 15 minutes to let all the flavors combine.

Season with salt to taste.

Serve over rice, with corn chips or (my favorite) cornbread.  Pass a bowl of grated jack or cheddar cheese at table. Freeze the leftovers and enjoy again on another cold winter night.

Seasonal scones -- lightened up

More comfort food made healthier: pumpkin scones.

I love the scones at the Cake Rack at Findlay Market, and none more than their (only once in awhile) pumpkin scones. But their version is a once in awhile treat. How nice to be able to have this lighter take on them, and perhaps eat them for breakfast every day. More good news: they freeze well, so you can put half the batch away for later enjoyment.

Whole-wheat flour, lowfat buttermilk and a judicious amount of butter makes this a healthy-foodie style scone.

Recipe: Pumpkin-Ginger Scones

(Makes 12)

Ingredients:

1 cup whole-wheat flour

3/4 cup regular flour

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

4 T cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not seasoned)

1/4 cup lowfat buttermilk

2 T maple syrup

1/2 cup chopped candied ginger

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Sift together the first five ingredients, through baking soda. Place in the bowl of a food processor, add butter, and pulse a few times until mixture is the consistency of coarse cornmeal.

In a separate bowl, beat the pumpkin, buttermilk, and maple syrup. Scrape into the food processor with the dry ingredients. Add candied ginger and process until the dough is mixed.

Scrape onto a lightly floured surface and shape the dough into a square about 3/4-inch thick.

Cut into triangles, 12 in all.

Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned.

Comfort food made healthier: Cupcakes

Here are a couple of recipes that sneak in a few healthful substitute-ingredients to make adorable, scrumptious cupcakes less of a guilt pleasure.
Instead of food dye in the pink frosting, for instance, a little raspberry puree gives it a lovely color. Whole wheat flour also is "disguised" with more raspberry puree in the cake dough.
The vanilla cupcakes substitute applesauce for butter, and use evaporated milk in the frosting.

Recipe: Raspberry-Lemon Cupcakes (Makes 12) Ingredients:

Cupcakes

• 2 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen (thawed and drained), plus 12 fresh berries for garnish (about 12 ounces total)
• 1 tablespoon plus 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (see Note)
• 3/4 cup cake flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk (see Tip)

Frosting

• 8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), at room temperature
• 1 cup packed confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

Instructions:

1. To prepare cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12 (1/2-cup) muffin cups with paper liners; coat the liners with cooking spray.
2. Puree 2 cups raspberries and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar in a blender or food processor until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, pressing with a rubber spatula to extract all the puree; discard seeds. Reserve 4 teaspoons of the puree for the frosting.
3. Whisk whole-wheat flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
4. Beat 3/4 cup granulated sugar and oil in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Beat in eggs, vanilla and 1 teaspoon lemon zest until well combined. With the mixer on low, alternately mix in the dry ingredients and buttermilk, starting and ending with dry ingredients and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, until just combined.
5. Fill the prepared cups half full of batter. Place a scant tablespoon of raspberry puree on each cup (you may have some left over). Divide the remaining batter evenly among the cups. Use a wooden skewer or toothpick to swirl and fold the puree into the batter.
6. Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 22 to 24 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
7. To prepare frosting: Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest and the reserved 4 teaspoons raspberry puree with an electric mixer until smooth. Refrigerate the frosting until very cold, at least 2 hours. Spread the frosting on the cooled cupcakes and decorate with a raspberry on top, if desired.

Recipe: Classic Vanilla with Chocolate Frosting (Makes 12 cupcakes) Ingredients:

Cupcakes

• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (see Note)
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 whole vanilla bean, split lengthwise (see Tip)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 12-ounce can low-fat evaporated milk, divided

Frosting

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
• Pinch of salt
• 2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup packed confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Sprinkles for decoration

Instructions:

1. To prepare cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12 (1/2-cup) muffin cups with paper liners.
2. Whisk whole-wheat flour, cake flour, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.
3. Beat granulated sugar and oil in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Scrape the black paste out of the vanilla bean into the sugar mixture. Add applesauce, egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat until well combined. With the mixer on low, alternately mix in the dry ingredients and 1/2 cup evaporated milk, starting and ending with dry ingredients and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, until just combined. Divide the batter among the prepared cups (they will be full).
4. Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
5. To prepare frosting: Meanwhile, whisk 2/3 cup of the remaining evaporated milk, all-purpose flour and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan until no flour lumps remain. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it looks like a thick, stiff paste, 2 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and continue whisking for about 30 seconds to cool slightly. Whisk in chocolate until completely melted. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add confectioners’ sugar, cocoa and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate the frosting until thickened and cold, about 2 hours. Spread the frosting on the cooled cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles, if desired.

Comfort food that's healthy: beef stew (really!)

Here's how to make a healthier version of a delicious like-mom-made standby. Use a small amount of high quality beef, add lots of flavorful veggies in addition to the standard carrots and taters, season creatively, throw in a bit of hearty red wine with the beef stock/broth and voila! Comfort food without the guilt.

The veggies that make the difference are leeks and dried porcini mushrooms (with their soaking liquid). Buy grass fed or Angus stew beef if you can get it. Wine that works includes zinfandel, carbernet sauvignon or (what I had on hand) shiraz/syrah. Serve the same wine at table along with a green salad and some crusty (preferably whole grain) bread.

Recipe: Healthier Beef Stew
(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces stew beef in bite-size chunks
• 3 T canola oil
• 2 leeks, rinsed well, white and light green parts only, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 3 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 lb new potatoes (red or white), cut into bite-size chunks
• 3 large carrots, cut into bite-size chunks
• 1 large onion, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks (optional)
• 12 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in 2 cups hot water for 15 minutes, drained and chopped
• 2 T flour
• Mushroom soaking liquid, strained to remove sand from mushrooms, about 1 1/2 cups
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 3 cups beef stock or beef broth
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 T dried thyme
• 2 large bay leaves

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in your largest saucepan or a Dutch oven over medium high heat. When oil begins to sizzle, add beef and cook, stirring, until beef begins to brown. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate or bowl and keep nearby.
2. Add leeks and garlic to pot, stirring for 1-2 minutes until they begin to soften. Stir in remaining vegetables (potatoes through porcini mushrooms) and cook, stirring occasionally, until all the vegetables begin to heat up and start to cook, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Sprinkle flour over the veggies, stir well, and cook for another 2 minutes.
4. Return beef to the pot.
5. Add liquids (mushroom soaking liquid, wine and stock/broth), stirring well.
6. Cover the pot and bring the mixture to a low boil.
7. Remove cover, reduce heat to medium and add thyme, salt, pepper and the bay leaves.
8. Cook for another 30 minutes or until carrots and potatoes are your desired level of tenderness by testing with the point of a knife.
9. Discard the bay leaves before serving.